Why is America so fat?

[StefanUrkel]

I keep hearing about this poverty epidemic, but I don't see it. Go to any place in America, and over 50 percent of people have a huge gut. 

[Piz]

Girth and wealth are not equivocal.  Obesity, sadly, is fairly inexpensive.

[David in FL]

2 minutes ago, Piz said:

Girth and wealth are not equivocal.  Obesity, sadly, is fairly inexpensive.

Yep.

All you need is to be lazy and dumb.  They often go together.  

[nevets88]

Ironically, generally, readily available cheap processed food makes you fat, harder to find fresh healthy food is more expensive.

Food shoved in your face in corporate America.

Culture of eating. Sedentary culture.

Portions out of control.

Soda.

Fat. Sugar. Salt.

Food marketing a high science.

So much more.

A friend says to me all the time and this is politically incorrect, you don't see fat people in a labor/pow camp.

[saevel25]

29 minutes ago, StefanUrkel said:

I keep hearing about this poverty epidemic, but I don't see it. Go to any place in America, and over 50 percent of people have a huge gut. 

What a stupid comment.

Edited August 22, 2017 by saevel25

[JonMA1]

5 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

Ironically, generally, readily available cheap processed food makes you fat, harder to find fresh healthy food is more expensive.

Food shoved in your face in corporate America.

Culture of eating. Sedentary culture.

Portions out of control.

Soda.

Fat. Sugar. Salt.

Food marketing a high science.

While all of the above is true, ultimately we have only ourselves to blame.

[nevets88]

25 minutes ago, Piz said:

Girth and wealth are not equivocal.  Obesity, sadly, is fairly inexpensive.

Is it? The health care costs of obesity, diabetes, etc... 

[upndown21]

10 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

Is it? The health care costs of obesity, diabetes, etc... 

He meant getting there. 

[Piz]

4 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

Is it? The health care costs of obesity, diabetes, etc... 

No doubt about that.  

[Kalnoky]

Same reason a shockingly high percentage of Americans are on anti-depressants: anxiety.

I believe most idle snacking and comfort food is a type of self-medication related to anxiety disorder. 

Just my .02, I am by no means a health care professional

[saevel25]

1 minute ago, Kalnoky said:

Same reason a shockingly high percentage of Americans are on anti-depressants: anxiety.

I believe most idle snacking and comfort food is a type of self-medication related to anxiety disorder. 

Just my .02, I am by no means a health care professional

I disagree. I just learned recently that there is no correlation between eating comfort food and actually making a person feel better. I don't think most overweight people self medicate using food. 

---

My opinion is on the following, 

1. Foods are accessible 24/7
2. Foods are made to want you to eat more of them. They are pleasant to eat, but are not filling
3. Not many people actually cook at home anymore
4. The food industry has made bad foods much cheaper than fresh foods
5. People are not as active as they use to be. 
6. People have no clue how many calories they are actually eating. 

 

[dennyjones]

There is a book just coming out from Dr. Neal Barnard, that is stating that cheese is actually addictive.   Processed foods are convenient and less expensive than non-processed foods.  The portion size has ballooned with the super-size from the fast food places.   Add this to the busy life where the family usually doesn't sit down to dinner together and it's a recipe for poor eating choices.

[Buckeyebowman]

1 hour ago, nevets88 said:

Is it? The health care costs of obesity, diabetes, etc... 

But who is bearing those costs? The obese or diabetic? No, it's all of us.

29 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

I disagree. I just learned recently that there is no correlation between eating comfort food and actually making a person feel better. I don't think most overweight people self medicate using food. 

---

My opinion is on the following, 

1. Foods are accessible 24/7
2. Foods are made to want you to eat more of them. They are pleasant to eat, but are not filling
3. Not many people actually cook at home anymore
4. The food industry has made bad foods much cheaper than fresh foods
5. People are not as active as they use to be. 
6. People have no clue how many calories they are actually eating. 

 

It doesn't matter if comfort food actually makes you feel better, only if you THINK it does! You have some good points. But I think processed carbs and a lot of misinformation, sometimes delivered by people who think they are doing good, is a big part of it.

I read an article a few years back about shopping the "perimeter of the store". Consider what you get there. First, produce! Fruits and veggies. Better if homegrown, of course, but we in the North can't be too picky. Next, dairy. Eggs, milk, butter. Believe it or not, all healthy! Next, meat. Pure protein! Nothing wrong with it in moderation. Finally, frozen. Flash frozen veggies are as tasty and nutritious as fresh off the plant! Again, I prefer home grown, but I can't grow everything!

And stay away from the middle of the store. That's where the processed carbs live! I'm down to 170 from 190 from just a few adjustments. I used to be the guy who had a 2 liter of Coke in his fridge, and fell asleep with his hand in the potato chip bag! And I look at labels now to see if there is High Fructose Corn Syrup in it!

And I don't deprive myself! I eat hearty! I love good food and eating it! You just have to figure your way.

[nevets88]

52 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

6. People have no clue how many calories they are actually eating. 

And we have elements in government and industry trying to restrict caloric information from being displayed. 

Look at a photo from the 40s and 50s before the food industry super refined its silver tongued deceiving ways. 

23 minutes ago, dennyjones said:

There is a book just coming out from Dr. Neal Barnard, that is stating that cheese is actually addictive.   Processed foods are convenient and less expensive than non-processed foods.  The portion size has ballooned with the super-size from the fast food places.   Add this to the busy life where the family usually doesn't sit down to dinner together and it's a recipe for poor eating choices.

Michael Pollan has been preaching this since 2008? EAT REAL FOOD.

[Piz]

That's it.  I'm going back on the belly-lint and bark diet.  I'll save the grubs for holidays...or when I have people over.

[Hardspoon]

38 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

And we have elements in government and industry trying to restrict caloric information from being displayed. 

FWIW, there is conflicting evidence on whether display of caloric information is actually helpful in reducing intake.  It might actually not do much at all (there is even some evidence that it increases intake).

Interestingly, it may actually affect the menus themselves more than the consumers:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/11/02/effects-of-labeling-calories-on-menus/75046400/

 

Edited August 23, 2017 by Hardspoon

[golfdu]

2 hours ago, dennyjones said:

The portion size has ballooned with the super-size from the fast food places.

 

Edited August 23, 2017 by iacas
please embed videos

[MarvChamp]

4 hours ago, saevel25 said:

What a stupid comment.

Yay!